Corrigan Fire Bloodfire - Helen Harper Page 0,20

showing in your first bout, given that you were able to dispatch the bear so summarily.’

She blinked rapidly and there was a curious expression on her face. It wasn’t the fear that had been reflected on the other shifters’ faces. It was definitely something else. She swallowed.

‘Errr…’

Even under the blood, I could see her skin whiten. I hoped she wasn’t about to pass out. I moved closer until she was barely inches away from me. The odd tinge in her hair was more noticeable now I was right next to her. She also still smelled of rodent. Obviously determined to refuse any gesture of help, no matter who it came from, her chin tilted and there was a stubborn look in her eyes. I decided to force the issue. ‘Could it be that you are trying to avoid being invited to London?’

Her eyes flared. ‘Yes! That’s it. Definitely.’

She was too damned eager to agree with me. I’d asked the wrong question and given her a ready-made excuse. ‘And why is that exactly?’ I said, probing further to try and find out the real reason.

Mack moved away as if afraid and I felt my shoulders tense. I wasn’t trying to come across as intimidating. I made an attempt to soften my expression but when she turned to Tom for help, a ripple of anger ran down my spine.

He grabbed hold of her and grinned from ear to ear. ‘She just can’t bear to be without me,’ he said.

When he stroked her hair, my ire intensified, although I couldn’t say why. So they weren’t just friends after all – so what? What business of mine was it who she was mating with? Although it was no wonder she was pissed off that he wanted to join the Brethren when she would clearly rather run a mile from us.

‘I see,’ I said, doing my best to maintain my equilibrium. At least I would finally get one real answer now. I gave her a hard look. ‘Well, you’d better shift so you can start healing properly.’

Her eyes widened and her mouth opened and closed several times before she seemed able to form a coherent sentence. I’m…ummm…I’m…in mourning. I have taken a vow not to shift until our alpha’s murderer is brought to justice.’

‘Indeed.’ Although it didn’t take a genius to work out from her bruised eyes that she was taking his death hard, her delayed answer made it obvious that she was lying. It made me even more determined to find out what she was hiding. ‘What happens when it’s the full moon then? If his killer has not been found by that point, I mean?’

‘I possess unbelievable self-control.’ Her mouth twisted into a forced smile.

I stared at her. I was almost completely certain that she was making up every word on the spot. I still didn’t want to go down the route of compulsion – and it was becoming clearer by the second that she was about to collapse any moment now. Nothing about this was making any sense though.

‘Well, I’d better get this gorgeous girl back to her, I mean, our room, so that we can get her fixed up for this afternoon,’ Tom interrupted. He manoeuvred her in the direction of the stairs.

‘Take care now,’ I muttered after them, following their struggle to climb to the next floor. I was going to find out the truth sooner or later.

‘Why do you think she’s lying?’ Staines asked once they were out of earshot.

I shook my head. ‘I have no idea. It’s got to be something to do with her shift.’

‘You don’t think…’ Mel began.

I turned towards her. ‘What?’

She scratched her head awkwardly. ‘Well, maybe she’s a werepanther too.’

Staines frowned. ‘That could make sense. Werepanthers are rare and if she knows that you’re one as well, my Lord, she could be trying to hide it to avoid the inevitable comparison.’ His mouth pursed. ‘Or ensuing innuendo.’

‘You’re suggesting that if I’m a werepanther and she’s a werepanther, then it’s our duty to come together and be as one?’ There was a self-deprecating hint to my words but I felt a frisson of excitement run down my spine.

He shrugged. ‘Matching shifts who procreate end up with considerably more powerful children. It’s happened before.’

I threw him a disgusted look. ‘Arranged marriages?’

He nodded. For a split second, a vision of a very naked Mack lying across a rose-petal-scattered bed flashed into my mind. I quickly pushed it away. ‘That’s ridiculous.’

‘You can still use the Voice and compel